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BTS will not submit its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, placing the group at the center of a wider debate over how Asian pop should be recognized by the Recording Academy.
Although the decision has sometimes been described online as BTS “rejecting a Grammy,” that wording is misleading. The group has not turned down a nomination or an award. Instead, BTS has chosen not to enter its eligible releases into the Grammy submission process.
BTS Confirms It Will Skip the 2027 Grammy Submission Process
On July 29, 2026, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook shared a joint message announcing that they would not submit their music for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards.
The members expressed their hope that music could be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being separated according to region or language. They also thanked ARMY and everyone who has continued to support them.
The decision means that BTS’s eligible group releases will not be considered for nominations at the ceremony scheduled for February 7, 2027.
Why the New Asian Pop Grammy Category Is Drawing Attention
BTS made the announcement after the Recording Academy introduced a new category called Best Asian Pop Music Performance for the 2027 Grammys.
According to the Recording Academy, the category is intended to recognize artistic excellence in Asian pop music, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. Eligible songs must make meaningful use of at least one Asian language.
A song performed entirely in English cannot compete in the new Asian Pop category. However, the official rules clarify that an English-language recording can still be submitted to another appropriate Grammy category.
The Recording Academy has presented the addition as an effort to acknowledge Asian pop’s growing global influence. Critics, however, have questioned whether creating a region-based category could unintentionally separate Asian artists from the broader pop field.
Did BTS Officially Reject the New Grammy Category?
BTS did not explicitly mention the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category in its statement.
The timing of the announcement and the group’s reference to regional and linguistic boundaries have led international media outlets to connect the decision with the new category.
It is therefore accurate to say that the announcement came amid controversy surrounding the Asian Pop category. It would be less accurate to report as confirmed fact that BTS directly rejected the category or refused a Grammy Award.
The group also did not say that it would permanently stop participating in the Grammys. The announcement applies to the current submission cycle.
BTS’s Grammy History
BTS has received five Grammy nominations and has not yet won a Grammy, according to the Recording Academy’s official artist profile.
The group’s previous nominations include:
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“Dynamite” — Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
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“Butter” — Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
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“My Universe” with Coldplay — Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
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“Yet to Come” — Best Music Video
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Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres” — Album of the Year nomination connected to BTS’s credited participation
The group’s latest decision is especially notable because BTS has played a major role in expanding K-pop’s visibility within the American music industry and the Grammy Awards.
What BTS’s Decision Means for the 2027 Grammys
Grammy nominations are not automatic. Eligible recordings must first be formally entered by registered media companies or Recording Academy members before they can proceed to screening and voting.
Because BTS has chosen not to submit its music, the group’s releases will not advance to the nomination stage during this Grammy cycle.
The decision has also expanded the discussion beyond BTS. Supporters of the new category view it as overdue recognition for Asian pop, while critics are asking whether music should be categorized by geography and language when K-pop artists already compete in the global pop market.
Whatever its long-term impact, BTS has made one point clear: the group wants its music to be evaluated as music, rather than being defined primarily by where it comes from or which language it uses.
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